HJ0099 LRB096 18349 AJO 33726 r

1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) are the
3 leading cause of intellectual disability in the United States
4 and are 100% preventable; and
 
5     WHEREAS, The term FASD includes a broader range of
6 conditions and therefore has replaced fetal alcohol syndrome as
7 the umbrella term describing the range of effects that can
8 occur in an individual whose mother consumed alcohol during
9 pregnancy; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The prevalence of FASD is estimated to be at least
11 1% of all live births in the United States; and
 
12     WHEREAS, FASD is the leading known cause of learning
13 disabilities and is a major cause of numerous social problems,
14 including juvenile delinquency, homelessness, unemployment,
15 mental illness, and crime; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Ten to 14% of women in Illinois report using
17 alcohol during pregnancy; and
 
18     WHEREAS, The Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage
19 Act requires that with each marriage license a county clerk
20 shall provide a pamphlet describing the causes and effects of

 

 

HJ0099 - 2 - LRB096 18349 AJO 33726 r

1 fetal alcohol syndrome; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Unfortunately, this well-intended statutory
3 requirement does not provide a means for a county clerk to meet
4 the requirement; and
 
5     WHEREAS, It has been determined that in most counties the
6 county clerks have not issued the required pamphlet to the
7 nearly 80,000 recipients of marriage licenses each year, and
8 thus tens of thousands of these marriage license recipients in
9 Illinois have been deprived of this crucial public health
10 information; and
 
11     WHEREAS, The Illinois affiliate of the National
12 Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, NOFAS Illinois, which
13 is administered by Trinity Services, Inc., has agreed to
14 provide free educational pamphlets to each county clerk, thus
15 making this well-intentioned statute a reality in all counties
16 in Illinois; therefore, be it
 
17     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
19 SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that within 60 days after this joint
20 resolution is adopted, NOFAS Illinois and the County Clerks
21 Association should determine the best ways to ensure that each
22 couple receiving a marriage license will receive from the

 

 

HJ0099 - 3 - LRB096 18349 AJO 33726 r

1 county clerk an educational pamphlet about fetal alcohol
2 syndrome; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4 delivered to the County Clerks Association.